


Dusk Falls

by Din_Harlow



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Escape Attempt, Grief/Mourning, Linked Universe, Song of Time - Freeform, gone wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 09:38:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21455923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Din_Harlow/pseuds/Din_Harlow
Summary: The walls of the dungeon shook violently and crumbled. The stone ceiling above caved in and Time threw his arms over his head to protect himself from the debris that crashed around him.Warrior.Where was Warrior?
Comments: 6
Kudos: 99





	Dusk Falls

* * *

It all happened in a muddled blur. The past couple of days nothing more than a hazy memory for him. Time had difficulty recalling what exactly had gone down to lead up to this point. 

_“Stay with me, Old Man!” _

Time had seen him with his very eye. Vibrant and healthy. His complexion not at all pale. His cerulean eyes, so alive and full of emotion. There was worry, fear, anguish, and pain. 

There was no sign of injury or illness. 

No hint of poison or gradual decline in fitness. 

Nothing. 

_“Take it, Old Man! I won’t allow you to die on me!” _

He’d sounded so earnest. So heartfelt and passionate. The fire that blazed within him only grew brighter and more difficult to ignore. It was what drew the others to him. 

His confidence. His assurance and unwavering faith. They turned to him for guidance. 

The Hero had given him their last Red Potion. Time had been foolish to drink it. He realized this now. 

His heart was heavy and his eyes stung as bitter regret and agonized grief clutched him tightly within its grasp. 

How had he not noticed? 

* * *

_“Do you have to wear all this armor, Pops?” He griped, Time’s arm limply draped over his strong shoulders, his own wrapped securely around Time’s waist as he forced the Leader to walk, “You weigh a ton!” His jab was weak at best. A futile effort to lighten the tense atmosphere and hide the fear reflected in his tone. _

_He was scared for Time. _

_Terrified he would lose him. _

* * *

Perhaps there had been signs, and he hadn’t seen them. There was a chance he’d been oblivious to them. To the agony in those eyes and the facade the Hero had thrown up to keep him from growing suspicious. 

Of course, the blood loss Time had suffered prevented him from thinking clearly. From noting the tender manner in which the Hero had moved. The way the other’s arm would shoot to his side and his hand would press firmly against it, a wince crossing his strained features.

Time had known his companion had been hit. Neither of them had escaped unscathed. 

But he’d trusted in the Hero’s promise that he had already taken care of his own hurts. 

A mistake he should never have made. 

* * *

_“I need you to stay conscious, alright? Just listen to my voice and don’t you dare close your eyes!” _

_Time was mercilessly shaken, and a sharp gasp was torn from him. _

_“I know, I know, sorry,” The other grimly apologized, a hint of remorse in his tone, “But I can’t risk you falling asleep.”   
_

_Time would have made a smart remark, but found himself unable to. The white-hot fire that raced through his veins and burned him so viciously stole his very breath away. _

_The Red Potion had only done so much. _

_“The others- they need you. You can’t give up on them, do you hear me? Think of Twilight and Wild. What will happen to them if you go?”   
_

_Time’s eye fluttered. His boys. Twilight and Wild...Sky, Legend, Wind, Four, Hyrule, and Warrior. _

_Fear and worry briefly overcame the pain that swallowed him whole.Yes, what would become of them if he were to fall here and now? _

_But, his companion was wrong. _

_Time didn’t only care for Twilight and Wild. He cared for them all. He viewed them as children he needed to protect and watch over. Little ones that looked to him for guidance, support, and encouragement- who turned to him for stability and clung to his unwavering presence. _

_He was the foundation they built themselves off of in their little group. _

_“Come on. A few more steps,” The other encouraged. Time forced himself to move- to lighten some of the burden, but the arduous task was growing more difficult. His movements were gradually growing more sluggish and clunky. “You have to stay with me, Time!”   
_

_Please!  
_

_There were tears in his voice, no longer strong and brave but a strained and wretched whisper. _

_“You can’t die on me! Not like my Pops did!” He choked, a sob caught in his throat. He was growing desperate and afraid.   
_

_Sorely afraid. _

_The words struck a chord in Time’s heart. It fed the fire of determination that had been nothing more than embers waiting to be stoked within him. _

_He felt his body trembling, but it wasn’t from exertion or his life-threatening injuries. _

_“I won’t let you! I refuse to let you! Do you hear me, Old Man?!”   
_

_The shout echoed down the dismal corridor of the dungeon, bouncing off the stone walls and back at them. _

* * *

Yes, Time had heard him. His every word. It had helped keep him conscious. They had reigned him in and kept him anchored on this side of the veil. 

The smile he’d been graced with when Time had raised his head and looked to him. It was shaky and frail, but still a smile. 

Time knew then and there, that he couldn’t leave him. 

* * *

_“They’ve found us!” _

_Dread coiled in the pit of Time’s stomach at the harsh whisper. A nauseating and sickening feeling of horror and concern. He knew exactly who “they” were. _

_“Go...” He murmured hoarsely, his throat gritty. He was nothing more than a burden. He was slowing them down. He wasn’t fit to fight- to protect. Both knew this.   
_

_The younger Hero looked to him in shock and incensed despair. _

_“Have you lost your mind?!” _ _The Hero snatched at Time’s tunic, digging his fingers into the fabric and shaking him slightly in fury, “I am not leaving you, Time!” _

_Time wanted to argue with him. He wanted to convince him to leave. To save himself from their impending doom. To spare him from what he knew was to come._

_He should have known better. _

_“You’re going to live! You’re going to make it out of this alive!”   
_

_Time didn’t know why, but he knew his companion spoke the truth. His cerulean eyes glinted in the little light leaking into the dreary and decaying dungeons. The blazing look of resoluteness and courage could not be mistaken. _

_Exhaustion and weariness seeped deep into his bones. Time was robbed of his strength and all he could do was slump back against the wall as the Hero gently set him down and reclined him against it. _

_The coolness of the stone momentarily distracted him from his pain. _

_“I’ll be back,” The golden-blonde Hero promised, unwrapping his beloved blue scarf from around his neck and tucking it around Time. The silken fabric provided him with some warmth in contrast to the cold hanging thickly in the air.   
_

_The tension and apprehension lingering in the air heightened. A sense of foreboding overcame him and alarm trickled down Time’s spine when he recognized the resignation the Hero carefully hid. _

_“War-” He attempted to say, yearning to dissuade the other from confronting their enemies when both of them were unfit to fight them off. He was interrupted by a cough, his vocal chords screeching from their use.   
_

_A strong hand gripped his shoulder and he was met by another grim smile. _

_“Even if I don’t return, the others will find you.”   
_

_Time weakly shook his head. He wanted to tell him to flee. To run. But he knew the Knight would not listen. _

_Swallowing thickly, blinking back his own emotions, Warrior stood and forced himself to go. He steeled himself, exhaling a deep, shaky, breath to calm his nerves and regain his bearings. _

_“No!” Time lurched forward, hand outstretched, only to stop short and crumple into an undignified heap on the ground. Excruciating pain lanced through his screaming body, “Warrior...!” He rasped- pleading and fearful- unable to speak louder than an anguished whisper. “Don’t...” _

_It was too late. _

_Warrior was already gone. _

_And Time was helpless to do anything. _

_He hated it. _

_So. Very. Much! _

_“Warrior...” He breathed, clenching his fist and shaking terribly. His whole body cried for relief, but Time knew better than to give in.   
_

_Why couldn’t he protect those he cared for? _

_Why was he always the one left behind? _

* * *

Time hadn’t known how much time had passed. It might have been mere seconds, mere minutes, or neither. To Time, it was an eternity of waiting in agony. The sense of unknowing. 

Warrior knew. He knew all of the possibilities. Of what could become of him. 

It did not frighten him. He never gave it much thought. 

He’d always known the dangers of warfare and battle. Of the potential outcomes. As a knight, he’d become well-acquainted with the dangers that accompanied combat and fighting. He knew that each and every battle he was involved in could end with him being mortally wounded or dead. 

Time waited. 

And waited. 

And waited. 

The light seeping through the cracks and holes in the crumbling walls encasing him slowly darkened as dusk fell. 

He could hear the distant sounds of metal screeching against metal. The shrieks and wails of those being ruthlessly slaughtered. 

Warrior’s yells and battle cries mingled with the sounds. Time’s heart thundered, pulsing in his ears and threatening to burst from his chest. The anticipation, harrowing fear, and panic...

It was too much for him to handle..!

He tried to drag himself upright so he could peer around the corner and see for himself that Warrior was safe and sound. 

He was living his worst nightmare and Time feared what the ending might be. 

Why did he have to be crippled and useless when Warrior needed him the most? 

His gaze slid to Warrior’s pack. The Knight had left it there. 

Time knew he had done so for a reason. Warrior was Captain of the Guard. He was not foolish. He was thorough, clever, and thoughtful. For Warrior to have left his pack...

He had done so on purpose. 

Time’s vision blurred. His head was becoming lighter, his body faint. Numbness was beginning to spread, and he knew these were grave signs. 

He shook his head, blinking owlishly to rid himself of the strange tingling sensation spreading through him. 

He forced himself to move. Stubbornly ignoring how his body protested acutely to him dragging himself to Warrior’s pack, he extended his shaking hand and grasped pathetically at the bag. 

He finally managed to hook a couple fingers beneath the strap and tugged. Once it was close enough, he curled an arm around it and pulled it close. Flicking the flap open, Time blearily dug through the items Warrior had organized within. 

That was when he struck something solid and made of glass. 

A bottle. 

Time didn’t know what impressed him to grab it, but he did. He pulled the bottle out and looked- 

And cursed Warrior. 

It was a fairy. 

The _only_ fairy left. 

Warrior had told him they had no potions or fairies left. 

Why would he have lied? 

And then it hit him like a sledgehammer. 

Time’s world screeched to a halt, and he slammed into a metaphorical wall. 

Warrior didn’t believe he would live. 

And he’d sworn to Time that the elder Hero would make it out alive. 

He’d lied on purpose. 

He’d left his pack for Time. He’d saved the fairy. For Time. He’d known it would come to this. 

Time’s eye burned. Conflicting emotions swelled within him. Anger, disbelief, denial... 

Warrior had sacrificed himself, knowing the odds were stacked against him, to ensure Time’s survival. 

“You foolish _soldier!”_ Time hissed venomously, spitting out the word ‘soldier.’ A fire burst to life within him, burning as rage built within him, overshadowing the agony crippling him. 

Warrior knew what was important. He knew what mattered. His life compared to Time’s was meaningless. He was expendable. The Links needed Time to stand against Dark Link and to save their homes. Time was their leader. Warrior was a soldier- a Knight- who was willing to die for him in order to secure their success. 

Time released a shaky breath, clutching the bottle tightly. 

If those creatures didn’t kill Warrior, _he_ would! 

“You self-sacrificing idiot!” Time harshly whispered, mustering his strength and unscrewing the fairy, “Why do you think we have lived this long? Who do you think has ensured our survival this whole time? Who do we turn to for strategies and guidance through battles and conflicts?” 

Without Warrior...

The Heroes would be severely weakened and broken. 

Yes, Time could lead them. Yes, he could fire tactic after tactic, order after order, but he wasn’t an expert. Warrior was. 

And the Heroes would be nothing without him. It would never be the same. Warrior was as much a part of them as they were to him. 

They were closely knit- an unbreakable bond tying them together. 

The fairy was soon set free and encircled Time three times, healing his wounds and sealing the worst so they were nothing more than scabs that would later turn into scars. 

Time felt his strength return. His body no longer felt incredibly light and the dazed sensation was gone. 

The Old Man gathered himself to his feet, Warrior’s pack slung over his shoulder, and sword gripped tightly in his hand. There was a fierce expression fixed on his face, replacing his typically stern and neutral visage. His eye blazed.

Although his wounds were not completely healed, and some still bled, Time’s strength and vigor was not to be undermined. 

He was seething deep within. 

Once he found Warrior and they escaped this horrid place, the two of them would be taking a seat and having a long and lengthy chat. 

* * *

The Leader needn’t have looked far for Warrior. He’d barely moved three meters when the Knight came careening around a corner and smacked into him. 

The sound the impact of Warrior’s head connecting with Time’s golden armor resonated through the air as the Captain staggered back with a pained grimace, a hand flying up to his forehead. 

“Ow-what-?!” He flailed wildly when Time’s hand shot out and wrested a handful of his tunic, yanking him close. The older Hero leaned down, growling out, 

“You and I will be having words, young man,” 

Warrior shuddered with a gulp. Good, Time thought to himself, he should be afraid. Incurring his wrath was never a pretty or wise thing to do. It was after he’d released Warrior that Time noticed the paleness of his skin and the glazed look of his eyes. 

His stern demeanor softened, worry replacing his previous ire. 

“How badly are you hurt?” He demanded to know, but Warrior brushed him off, urgent and jittery. 

“There’s no time! We have to go- _now!”_ He breezed past Time, yanking the Old Man behind him until Time recovered himself and matched his pace. 

“What is it?” 

“Those _traitors_ called for backup,” Warrior breathlessly informed him, sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him, “I don’t know what’s coming, but I know it can’t be good!” 

Time’s eye narrowed, “Then we need to leave this place as soon as possible.” 

Warrior nodded with a wince. His teeth were grit together, his eyes full of pain. 

Time would have asked what ailed him, but never had the chance to. 

An explosion from behind wrenched the ground beneath their feet and sent them flying from the force of the blast. 

Time heard Warrior’s agonized cry. His heart withered and died at the sound, his very soul shuddering as his fear skyrocketed. The Old Man was sent crashing into a wall and crumpled onto the ground with a grunt. 

Dust and debris polluted the air, filling Time’s lungs when he could finally inhale and inducing a painful coughing fit. The deafening sound of heavy objects falling and the walls collapsing were all Time could hear and he threw his arms up above his head to protect it from the rubble crashing all around him. 

The old, decomposing dungeon released a deep, guttural, groan as it shuddered and quaked violently. 

Time winced when a large boulder-sized rock burst into pieces near him. That had been too close for comfort. 

Darkness encased him, swallowing him whole. 

After what felt to be an eternity, the quivering building settled and the world grew still and silent. 

He waited for the dust to clear the air before he risked moving. 

Slowly, carefully, Time drew himself to his hands and knees, doing his best to see through the darkness. 

It was impossible. 

But there was a fear that gripped him in an unrelenting grasp, very nearly stealing his breath away. His chest constricted and his heart felt ready to burst from the anticipation and cold tendrils of terror that curled around it, squeezing viciously. 

“Warrior..?” He called softly, his voice wavering in uncertainty. 

His eyes darted about uselessly, scouring the impenetrable darkness. 

“Warrior!” He tried again, earnest and searching. 

Nothing. 

Trepidation and paralyzing dread slowly began to take over him. 

“Warrior!” 

Silence sang its song. 

_“Link!” _He cried hoarsely, inwardly pleading for the Knight to answer him- to let him know somehow, someway, that he was alive. 

He could not lose him!_ No._Time would not allow him to die! Not on his watch! 

Warrior wasn’t supposed to die before him! They were supposed to outlive him! They were supposed to return to their homes, triumphant and safe. Back to their loved ones. 

A wet cough that did not bode well for Time pierced the agonizing quiet atmosphere. 

“...Old...Man..?”

By the Goddess...He sound so frail and weak.

“Link, where are you?” Time demanded to know, snapping his head in the direction he thought Warrior’s voice had come from. 

“I...” Warrior tried, wheezing in a sickeningly frail manner, “I...don’t know...Can’t tell...S’all dark...” He slurred. 

Time’s heart pounded madly against his chest. He willed himself to remain calm and poured all of his effort in keeping his voice steady, 

“It’s alright, Link,” He soothed the ailing Knight, “Just keep talking and I’ll come find you.”

He was so very afraid. Terrified of what he might find. 

What condition would the Knight be in? Was he crushed beneath the rocks and debris? Had a wall collapsed on him? Was he bleeding out? 

“Link?” He questioned, fighting to keep his voice steady when Warrior didn’t respond. 

“Still here...” Came the quiet reply. “Old Man...We...We have to find...a way out.” 

“I know we do,” Time murmured, his voice carrying over to where the Knight lay, “Are you able to move?” 

He heard a shuffling sound as Warrior shifted. 

A pained wheeze pierce the air and Time felt something pierce his very heart. There was a faint rattling noise that accompanied Warrior’s every breath. 

Never had Time felt true fear until then. 

Just how badly was Warrior hurt?

“Link, I want you to be honest with me, do you understand?” 

“...sure.” 

“How badly are you hurt?” 

Warrior said nothing for a while. Time figured he was assessing himself. 

“...pretty...badly...” 

The honest admittance scared Time more than if Warrior had lied. 

“I can’t...I can’t feel my legs...” 

Time’s heart broke at the wavering of Warrior’s voice. 

“Time...” 

“Hush, Link, it’s alright.” 

But it wasn’t, and both knew this. 

A shuddery exhale caressed Time’s ear. 

“Time, where are you?” 

Time didn’t think his heart capable of breaking even more, but it completely shattered at how childlike Warrior sounded. 

The Old Man swallowed thickly, choking on his own emotions threatening to surface. 

“I’m coming, Link,” His voice cracked and died and Time cleared his throat to start again, “I’m almost there. I want you to stay strong for me, alright?” 

“Yeah...yeah...” Warrior weakly whispered. 

“The others will find us. You said so yourself.” 

Warrior laughed- a wet and awful sound. He choked and Time’s fear and worry skyrocketed. 

Once Warrior had recovered, gasping and wheezing still, he whispered hoarsely, “I said...they’d...find you...Pops.” 

“I won’t have that kind of talk from you, Link!” Time sharply rebuked, his mind and heart warring against what he knew was happening, “Do you understand? You’ve survived worse. You _will _survive this!” He sternly told him, refusing to believe otherwise. 

He was getting closer. He could tell from the raspy breaths escaping Warrior growing in volume as he drew nearer. 

“It’s so dark, Time...” 

“I know it is, Link.” Time murmured lowly, the stinging of his eye intensifying, “Not even I can see.” 

“Where’s the light..?” 

“Link,” 

“...yeah?” 

Time finally reached him. 

“If you do see light,” He swallowed thickly, striving to remain strong, “Promise me-” He had to take a moment to gather himself, “-promise you won’t go to it, alright? Don’t you _dare_ go towards the light.” 

Warrior never said anything.

Time blindly reached out. His hand landed on something wet and sticky. 

Blood. 

And a lot of it. 

He felt sick. Nauseous and afraid. 

But he needed to be strong. Warrior needed him. 

“You’re going to live.” 

Warrior wanted to believe him. But he knew the severity of his wounds. The amount of blood he was losing, the broken ribs that he knew most likely punctured a lung...

He’d known he would die one day. 

But now that he was experiencing what it was like to die... 

Never had it felt so _real._

“You know, Time...It’s funny...” Warrior managed to say, blood trickling from his lips. His legs were pinned beneath heavy pieces of debris and he could no longer feel them. 

His spine had to have been horribly damaged. 

“What’s funny?” Time asked him, and a smile stretched Warrior’s blood-flecked lips. The Old Man was trying to keep him talking. 

He felt a hand drift to his hair, fingers threading through the strands and stroking in a comforting manner. 

Warrior reveled in Time’s unwavering presence. The sense of safety and security. It encompassed him like a warm blanket. 

In several ways, Time reminded him of his own Father. Both were similar, and yet, so very different.

But Warrior was glad to have Time with him. He didn’t know if he could handle being alone. 

Licking his lips, Warrior croaked, “It’s...It’s not death people fear...” 

“Link-” Time sharply chided, but his voice withered. 

“It’s dying,” Warrior admitted in a frail, quivering whisper. Because he was scared. 

Dying scared him. 

“Please, Link,” Time’s anguished plea was not lost to Warrior. A strong arm slipped underneath him and Warrior’s upper half was lifted off the cold, unforgiving, ground and cradled against the Old Man’s chest. 

Warrior’s head was tucked beneath Time’s chin as the eldest Hero begged the Goddess to let him live- to grant him a miracle. 

“Don’t you dare give in...” 

The arms tightened around him and although Warrior knew it should have hurt, he felt comforted. He sagged in Time’s hold, the numbness spreading from his legs up his spine and through his arms. 

His head was growing light, his body faint. A surreal and altogether frightening feeling. 

“You have to stay with me. The others will be here soon. They can heal you.” 

Whoever he was trying to reassure, neither knew. Warrior? Time himself? Or both? It mattered not. 

“We can’t lose you.” 

_I can’t lose you. _

“You’ll...” Warrior coughed again, crimson splattering on Time’s golden armor. Warrior was glad he could no longer feel the pain. He knew it would have been too excruciating. 

He would have been crippled with agony. 

The pain would have been unbearable. It had been only moments prior until his body started to fail him.

“You’ll take care...of the others...right?” 

Time was stricken. He blinked furiously, tears threatening to fall. 

“No, no, Link, you and I are _both_ going to take care of them,” He tried to say, but the words were jumbled together as his voice shook terribly. He was almost incoherent, but Warrior understood him perfectly. 

The Captain weakly shook his head, his eyes fluttering shut. His lashes were suddenly heavy. The urge to sleep, to give in to the welcoming darkness became prominent. 

“Wind...Tell him...Tell him he’s one of the...strongest Heroes...I’ve ever met...And that...I love...my little...brother...” 

The dam cracked, the slivers spreading as a couple of droplets of silver rain slipped down Time’s cheeks. 

The man who prided himself in staying strong no matter what circumstance or situation he found himself in. The man many believed incapable of feeling emotions so keenly and intensely as others did. 

But he _did._

He _did_ feel. 

And it always_ hurt_. More than words could ever convey. 

“And Legend...” 

“Please, Link,” Time pleaded, clutching the dying Hero in his arms, pressing his forehead to Warrior’s temple. He listened with a sinking heart as Warrior told Time everything he wanted the Old Man to say to the others. 

To Sky. 

To Twilight. 

To Wild. 

To Four. 

To Hyrule. 

He felt as if something were tearing him apart inside-out. As though some unforgiving monster had ripped out his heart and repeatedly stomped on it, pulverizing it until it was nothing more than dust to be gathered by the wind and spread throughout far away lands. 

A parent shouldn’t have to bury their child. 

Never. 

Warrior’s voice was slowly growing fainter and fainter, the Knight growing limp in Time’s hold. 

“I never...regretted it...not...once...” The Knight murmured, his breath hitching, “I’m glad...you’re here...Time.” 

“Link, you have to stay.” 

_Don’t go. Don’t leave us._

_Don’t leave me. _

Warrior’s eyes drifted shut with a soft smile. 

There...

He could see it in the distance. 

A light. 

Beckoning to him. 

But there was a lingering sense of guilt holding him back. 

His eyes glistened with unshed tears. 

He didn’t want to go. 

He didn’t want to leave. But he was slipping away. His consciousness barely hung by a thread, and that thread was stretching itself thin. 

“Hey, Time...” 

It was no more than the ghost of a whisper, but Time heard it nonetheless. 

Time hummed in a wobbly manner, not trusting his voice. 

“What is it, Link..?”

Warrior looked up at Time, unable to see him but knowing he was there. And that was all that mattered. 

Time was there. Time was with him. 

“I...I can't..."   
  
"You can't what?" Time asked, voice thick with emotion.  
  
"...stay...awake...I can't...”

And those were the last words Time heard Warrior say. 

Silence reigned. 

Time’s breath caught. 

His heart plummeted. 

His throat constricted. 

The dam burst. 

And for the first time in a long while, Time cried and sobbed and mourned as he clutched tightly to the cold and pale form of the child he held in his arms. 

A child whose life had been stolen from him far too soon. 

He buried his face into Warrior’s hair, wretched sounds of grief and turmoil tearing from his throat as he despaired and grieved over this great loss. 

Nothing could ever compare to the excruciating agony and heartbreak he felt now. A void formed within Time’s heart as a chunk of it broke off and disappeared. 

How could the Goddess be so merciless? So heartless? 

Time had never truly believed in prayer. He’d never believed in faith. After all he had gone through, how could he? 

But as he held the dying boy in his arms, he prayed like never before. Hoping, yearning, pleading with Her to spare his life. 

But She hadn’t. 

She’d cruelly ripped Link away from him. 

* * *

_He extended his hands, respectfully returning the Ocarina of Time back to the instrument’s original owner.   
_

_“I have done all there was to do with the Ocarina,” He quietly said to the Queen as her gloved fingers curled around the beloved instrument. She looked to him expectantly, silently encouraging him to continue, “I have no need for it now that I have returned,” He stepped back and met her gaze evenly.   
_

_The Queen only smiled, sorrow and understanding in her eyes. She knew, without him having to say, what he had suffered and done. _

_“That is where you are wrong,” She lowered her gaze, brushing her hand along the top of the Ocarina, “This Ocarina belongs to you more than it does to me.”   
_

_They stood in the Courtyard of the newly furnished Hyrule Castle. The War had destroyed Old Hyrule, forcing Zelda to lead her people to a new home and start anew. This was where Link had found them years later. _

_The newly-turned Queen delicately placed the Ocarina back into his hands, her blue eyes dark and stormy. _

_“Keep it with you always, Link. There may come a time when you will need it, and if you should not have it...” She trailed off meaningfully, and Link was stricken. He knew not to take her words lightly, “Let us hope that day will never come.”   
_

_But it would. _

_Both knew but refused to acknowledge it. _

* * *

The memory from so long ago came unwarranted to Time’s mind, yet, it was not altogether an unwanted one. 

The older Hero’s head snapped up, eye wide in remembrance and unbridled hope. 

Could it be possible..? 

He looked down to the still and cold form he held and a flicker of conviction flared to life within him. Zelda might not have known then but he had taken her words to heart and carried the Ocarina with him wherever he went. 

Gently, carefully, Time placed Warrior onto the unforgiving, stone, ground and snatched at the pack attached to his belt. He flicked the flap open, digging through the few items it held. 

Miraculously enough, the contents within were unbroken and unaffected by the blast and terrible fall Time had suffered. At the very bottom, Time’s blood-stained fingers curled around the familiar outline of his beloved Ocarina. 

Now cradling the instrument in his hands, Time whispered a plea to Farore,

“Let this work. Just this once, grant me this miracle, Goddess of Courage,” 

_After all I have done and all that I have sacrificed-_

And he raised the Ocarina and played the tune he had memorized decades ago as a little boy in green. 

The Song of Time echoed ominously throughout the impenetrable darkness, ricocheting off the solid debris surrounding them and caressing his ears. The melody was pure, untainted, and only when he completed it, the last note fading into nothingness did the world around him begin to change. 

It twisted, warped, and turned. Colors burst to life and blended together until all Time saw was white. 

Time came to a halt.

The clock rewound. 

Scenes that had already played out reversed. Rips and tears in his clothing, stains, dust, grime, and blood were removed and Time’s eye burned when he came to understand the Blessing he had been given by the Goddess. 

Then, just as suddenly as it had stopped, it started again. The hands unfroze and the clock began ticking, each tick a deafening echo in his ears. 

A countdown. 

Time found himself standing in the decrepit hallway Warrior had left him in. Only, this time around, he was not slumped helplessly against the wall, waiting in agony for Warrior to return. 

Without wasting a second, Time sprinted away. Steely resolve fed this newfound strength and adrenaline racing through his body and he whipped around the corner in time to see a disheveled, bloodied, Warrior bolting his way. 

A very much _alive_ Warrior. 

Cerulean blues so alike his own widened in shock and surprise when Warrior spotted him and skidded to a halt, only just preventing what would have been a painful collision. 

_-the sound the impact of Warrior’s head connecting with Time’s golden armor resonated through the air as the Captain staggered back with a pained grimace, a hand flying up to his forehead,_

_“Ow-what-?!” _

“Time?” Pure confusion flit across his features, overshadowed by worry, strain, and a hint of pain. 

A flood of relief- so powerful and undiluted- cascaded over the older Hero and nearly swept him off his feet. His hand snapped out before a thought crossed his mind and the knight flailed when Time seized his collar- 

_-Time’s hand shot out and wrested a handful of his tunic, yanking him close. The older Hero leaned down, growling out,   
_

_“You and I will be having words, young man-” _

\- and pulled him close, ordering tersely, 

_**“Don’t**_ do that again,” 

_ **Ever. ** _

His eye flashed with something unrecognizable. Emotions raged within that deep pool of blue, roiling thunderously and creating a storm Warrior had never before seen from their Leader. 

All the Knight could do was swallow and nod. 

Time accepted the timid response then gripped the injured Knight’s shoulder to lead him down the corridor. 

“How badly are you hurt?” He asked at once, noticing for the first time the limp the younger Hero had. He snatched Warrior’s pack from the ground. The one he had left behind. 

It slowed them a little but not too much. Time’s only motive was to get them out as soon as possible. 

_-Warrior brushed him off, urgent and jittery,_

_“There’s no time! We have to go- now!” He breezed past Time, yanking the Old Man behind him until Time recovered himself and matched his pace. _

_“What is it?” _

_“Those traitors called for backup,” - _

Time’s concern increased when the Knight leaned a little more heavily against his side and it was then he noticed the wheezing. He wrapped a strong arm around Warrior’s back, helping to keep him upright. 

Warrior weakly waved a dismissive hand in the air, 

“No time to worry about that,” He hissed and Time almost whipped his hand back as if he’d been scalded. Gingerly, Time placed his hand higher up to keep from agitating whatever wound Warrior had earned, “They called for backup. We need to leave-”   
  
“I know,” Time calmly interrupted, eyeing the dank tunnel ahead in search for an escape. He did not want to go through the ordeal he had before. 

The agony and excruciating pain, the keen sense of loss, and having his heart torn to shreds... It was still fresh. A wound that would scar but never truly heal. 

Had it only been minutes since he turned back the hands of time? Hours? 

_\- covered in dust and grime, blood that wasn’t his own seeping into the fabric of his clothing as he clutched the Knight close and hoarsely pleaded with the Goddess to save him- _

“You know?” Warrior blinked, pain and befuddlement contorting his features. He looked to Time, appraising him as they hurried through the dark corridor in the hopes of escaping their enemies that were sure to be pursuing them.

The unspoken _how?_ was heard but not answered. 

“Stay close to me,” 

As if Warrior could go anywhere else but the Knight still nodded. Something within Time settled but he still tightened his grip on him, as if afraid if he were to let go, Warrior would vanish and Time would find this was nothing more than a deceitful dream. 

Then, as if to prove to him that this was no dream, an explosion rocked the earth behind them. Although they were farther ahead of the blast than the first time around, the force was still enough to send them sailing. 

Time crashed into the unforgiving ground, his shoulder wrenching and side screaming from the harsh landing. 

His ears rang, his mind swam, and a coil of unmitigated terror lanced through him as his world was once again plunged into darkness. 

The walls of the dungeon shook violently and crumbled. The stone ceiling above caved in and Time threw his arms above his head to protect himself from the debris that crashed around him. 

Warrior. 

Where was _Warrior? _

Everything around him quaked and trembled destructively as the tunnels collapsed, trapping them within its deepest confines. 

After what felt to be ages, the shaking stopped and the world grew eerily still and silent. 

Time wasted no time in dragging himself onto his arms and knees, cracking his eye open and striving to pierce through the darkness. 

“Warrior?” He called immediately. 

There was no answer. 

His breath caught. 

_No no no..!_

He had gone back to prevent this! He had gone back to save Warrior! To keep him alive! He couldn’t fail! 

_“LINK!” _His voice reverberated through the air, rebounding back to him and Time could have sworn his world had come to an end. 

Where was he? He couldn’t have fallen far from Time. 

“Farore, _please,”_

_All I ask is for him to be alive..!_

Could They not give him this? Surely, he had sacrificed and done enough in his life to be granted this miracle. 

A rustle and slight movement to his left pulled Time from his whirling thoughts and he snapped his head to the side with barely restrained hope. 

“Link?” 

_-Link, where are you?” Time demanded to know, snapping his head in the direction he thought Warrior’s voice had come from. _

_“I...” Warrior tried, wheezing in a sickeningly frail manner, “I...don’t know...Can’t tell...S’all dark...” He slurred. _

_Time’s heart pounded madly against his chest. He willed himself to remain calm. _

_“It’s alright, Link,” He soothingly told the ailing Knight, “Just keep talking and I’ll come find you.” _

A few stone pebbles tumbled, having been disturbed by something. Time didn’t know what impressed him to, but he turned in the direction of the sound. The closer he came to the source, he realized he could make out a faint, extremely dim, pink glowing light coming from behind a particularly large stone brick. 

Time rested his hand along the edge of it, crawling around it and looking to see what was causing the light. 

He immediately stiffened, heart leaping into his throat, when his searching gaze landed on an altogether disturbing and terrifying sight. 

There, not too far from him, lay a crumpled and motionless Warrior. He was on his side, back facing Time, and temple resting on the cool stone. 

Fear clawed its way up Time’s chest and wound around him. Unable to speak, unable to_ breathe_, Time ignored the protest of his aching body and threw himself to Warrior’s side. He turned the Knight onto his back and cradled his face in his hands. 

The Captain’s eyes were closed, pale features undisturbed and serene. One could almost mistake him for sleeping...

“Not this time, Warrior,” Time harshly told the Knight, ignoring the stinging of his eye and giving the teen a stern shake, “I did not come this far only to have you die _again,” _

But what could he do? He had nothing to help Warrior and he had no inclination as to how far the others were or when they’d noticed their elongated absence. 

_-“The others will find us. You said so yourself.” _

_Warrior laughed- a wet and painful sound. He choked and Time’s fear and worry skyrocketed. _

_Once Warrior had recovered, gasping and wheezing, he whispered hoarsely, “I said...they’d...find you...Pops.”_

Time banished the memory from his mind. 

He had to do something- _anything! _He looked around helplessly and it was then his attention was captured by the fluctuating pink light within Warrior’s pack Time had dropped when he’d been sent flying. 

That glow...

Time’s hand snapped out and he clutched the pack, yanking it close. He rifled through it, his fingers closing in on a glass bottle Warrior always carried. 

Disbelief mingled with hope seared through Time and he tugged the bottle out. 

The Hero could have laughed or cried. Perhaps both. 

A fairy. 

There was a fairy fluttering aimlessly within the glass, unaware of the going-ons of the outside world. 

The fairy he’d previously used to heal the worst of his wounds before he’d turned back time. 

Since he’d rewound the clock, he’d never used the fairy. He hadn’t had the need to. 

Time didn’t know when he’d uncorked the bottle or when he’d asked the fairy to heal Warrior- if he’d asked her at all. His attention was solely focused on the unconscious and deathly still Knight before him. 

Once the fairy completed her work, she disappeared to return back to whatever fountain they’d whisked her from and Time waited tensely. 

After what felt to be an eternity but was in actuality only a couple of seconds, Warrior’s brow creased, his features contorted, and a cough rattled his chest. 

The sheer elation and overwhelming relief Time experienced was nothing compared to the moment when Warrior’s chest rose and fell with the first intake of breath. 

He carefully maneuvered his arms underneath the unconscious teen and lifted him from the uneven ground to clutch him close. 

“You’re alive,” Time whispered hoarsely, squeezing his eye shut and giving thanks to the Goddess, “You’re alive,” He placed a hand on the back of Warrior’s head, pressing it against his shoulder and reveling in the fact that he was alive and breathing, “I didn’t fail you...” 

* * *

The light of the new dawn pierced the murky darkness as a hole high above was incessantly chipped away at. Muffled voices, distant and incomprehensible, talked one over another, determination and worry coating their tones. 

There was a brief pause and then a shadow blocked the warm filtering sunlight to peer into the abyss below. 

They started when they saw the bent form of Time, covered with dust and grime, clinging to the ghostly pale and bloodied form of Warrior. 

“Goddess,” 

Another shadow forced itself beside the first and went stock still, back rigid and shoulders tense. 

“Old Man! Warrior!” Was called down to them, fingers digging into the stone surrounding the hole that had been made. 

The Old Man’s face was hidden from them by a curtain of disheveled hair, one hand buried in Warrior’s hair and the other holding him close. 

When Time felt and registered the warmth of the light on him, heard the familiar voices from above, he lifted his head with great effort. 

He must look terrible but the profound relief and gratitude blooming within him were enough to make Time smile. 

* * *

Time remained vigil by Warrior’s bedside, tensely waiting for the younger Hero to awaken. He kept watch of the steady rise and fall of Warrior’s chest as he breathed with ease. There was no rattle, no wet cough, no blood... 

Warrior’s pale face was littered with bruises and small slivers here and there. A bandage was wrapped around his head and arms...but he was alive. 

However, only when Warrior woke up would Time be able to rest and relax. knowing for a certainty he would be alright. 

Sky, Twilight, Wild, Hyrule, Four, Wind, and Legend would often peer into the room to check on the both of them only to find Time in the same spot, still and unmoving. 

Two days had passed since their rescue. It had been Wind who’d noticed Warrior’s absence and Four who mentioned Time’s. Immediately afterwards, the group set off to find them. 

With Time’s mind having been preoccupied by Warrior’s well-being and the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion taking its toll on him, he’d only caught snippets of what the others had done leading up to the point where they’d discovered and dug Warrior and Time out. 

The story had been partially explained then. According to Malon, a ransom note had been left on the gate of Lon Lon Ranch. There was no need for her to say more. Time already knew. 

The incensed rage and palpable fury mingled with a subdued tone of remorse was easily recognizable in the tenseness of Time’s form and single eye. 

Time had sent Twilight and Four to track down the headquarters of these anti-monarch turncoats. With Twilight’s ability, he’d known his descendant and Four would most certainly find them. 

He’d recognized the questions the younger Heroes wanted to ask him but they respectfully bit them back. 

Time didn’t think he could have answered if he’d tried. 

“...Pops..?” 

Time blinked slowly, his mind registering the frail, hoarse voice quietly calling to him. 

A voice he had not heard in two days and had been impatiently waiting to. 

Snapping his head to the right, Time’s eye widened marginally at the sight of two, familiar, cerulean pools of blue blearily looking to him. 

“Link?” Time could hardly believe it. A relieved, genuine, smile curved his lips and the Hero placed a calloused hand on the Knight’s shoulder, “About time you woke up.” 

Warrior hummed quietly, wincing from the aches and pangs shooting throughout his beaten and bruised body. 

“Some deep thinking you were doing there...” A yawn broke from him, “Everything alright?” He drowsily asked, trying to blink the sleep clinging heavily to his lashes away. 

Time’s expression softened at the sight and he knocked Warrior lightly on the head, careful not to agitate his wound. 

“It is now,” His chest rumbled as he spoke, the tenseness in his shoulders and back lessening now that Warrior had regained conscious, “You gave all of us quite the scare, Link,” 

_You gave me more than a scare..._

Warrior’s brow creased and he rolled his head to meet Time’s gaze, searching the Old Man for whatever answers he sought. 

“Scare..?” He mumbled, eyes wandering as he thought long and hard about what Time meant. 

Time knew the instant the memories began returning to him and Warrior breathed a sigh of relief and slumped deeper into the mattress of his bed. 

“We made it out, Pops,” 

The Knight would never know the true cost of their attempted escape. Of Time rewinding the clock to save him. Still, Warrior’s second brush with death hadn’t completely released Time from its grasp. 

It had been a harrowing experience. One Time had no want or wish to repeat ever again. He knew, should it happen a second time, he would not be granted the miracle he had been for Warrior. 

“Time?” 

The older Hylian blinked and turned to find Warrior watching him with a hint of concern, 

“Something wrong?” 

It was then Time realized his thoughts were being reflected by his expression and he quickly smoothed his features and shook his head in response to the Captain’s question. 

“No, no, nothing is wrong, however,” His eye glinted and a stern, displeased stare pierced Warrior as Time rounded on him crossing his arms, “What you did was reckless and nonsensical.” 

Warrior shrunk back into the pillows propped behind him. He was in for it now. The sound scolding he was sure to get would be one to last for a lifetime. 

Surprisingly, Time elected to skip the lecture and jumped straight into the conclusion. He gripped the Knight’s shoulder tightly, 

“Never again, Link,” Time locked gazes with Warrior, striving to drive his point across, “I don’t want you to ever foolishly toss your life away, am I understood?” 

All Warrior could do was nod. 

It was amazing, how Time could make him feel like a small child. 

“Sure thing, Pops,” Warrior dutifully answered when Time raised an eyebrow. 

Time narrowed his eye on him, searching for any hint of deceit. Finding none, he released his shoulder and leaned back into his chair. 

Warrior frowned, guilt and remorse churning in his stomach. 

Time understood that Warrior must have come to the realization of just how badly he’d shaken Time. 

Although he would never know the full extent of the terrible ordeal, Warrior was sure to think twice in the future. 

A comfortable silence settled between them and Time picked up the Ocarina lying in his lap and blew softly into it, testing the notes before he began to play. 

The dulcet tones encompassed the room, simple and melodic. 

“Hey, Pops,” Warrior’s quiet, thoughtful voice broke Time’s concentration and the Old Man lowered the Ocarina to hum in question, ”Thanks,”

This drew Time’s attention to the healing adolescent, “For what?” 

Warrior made a strange face, brows drawing together and lips pursed. Time curiously rested his hands bearing the Ocarina in his lap, 

“Link?” 

Warrior shook his head, cringing when it protested against the sudden movement. 

“Everything, I guess, but most of all, for being there.” 

Time stiffened at the words. 

_“I’m glad...you’re here...Time.” _

“You were an idiot,” Was all the leader said, “Never again, Warrior. Promise to never again risk your life the way you did...” There was a deep-rooted pain and heart-rending grief etched into his typically stoic features that Warrior couldn’t deny. It made him wonder what had happened. 

“It was too close a call,” Time whispered mostly to himself, eye faraway and voice distant as he recalled whatever it was Warrior couldn’t, “We nearly lost you.” 

But Warrior knew their leader well enough to recognize the words he didn’t say. 

_We did lose you._

“If it hadn’t been for your fairy,” Time looked away, dark and brooding. 

Warrior understood. He recognized how narrowly he’d avoided death. Then, his brows drew together when a faint memory wriggled itself from the far back of his mind and crawled to the front. 

“Wait...didn’t you use my fairy?” He questioned, confusion lacing his tone. “I think...I remember...I left you with my pack. The fairy was in it. You- you used it didn’t you?” 

Were Warrior’s eyes not sharp, he would have missed the light cough Time stifled with the back of his hand. 

“No. I had no need for it.” 

“What..?” But that made no sense, “But when I ran into you, you were perfectly fine..?” 

Wasn’t he? Warrior couldn’t recall seeing any of the grave and mortally fatal wounds the Leader had earned before they attempted their escape. 

A large, calloused, hand gently pat his shoulder and Time sternly said, “You need to rest, Warrior. Everything will be explained later- once you’ve regained your strength and healed. What matters is we made it out alive. The others found us and dug us out,” The older Hero then rested his hands on his knees with a wry smile, “Speaking of the others, they will want to know you’re awake,” 

Warrior only frowned at the deflection. He didn’t pursue the matter, however. Time’s tone was enough to tell him the subject was closed and the conversation over. 

Time stood and with one last look to Warrior, crossed the room to the door and opened it just enough to poke his head out and call down the hallway to the others. 

The scrambling of feet and joyful voices filled the air as the Heroes came darting to the room, and Time smiled with content as he watched them burst into the room and crowd around Warrior’s bed. 

Malon walked in afterwards, drying her hands with a dish towel. She smiled at the sight of the Heroes and took her place beside Time, her presence a great comfort to the older Hero. 

Time knew he would have given anything for this moment. 

He had. 

And he always would. 


End file.
